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The Bug Report |
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The only Bug that's good for your computer! |
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A Publication of the Greater South Bay PC Users Group |
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Volume 19 Number 12 |
December 2001 |
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IF YOU'RE GOING TO UPGRADE,
GET READY NOW
24 REASONS WHY WINDOWS IS NOT A VIRUS
WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
WINDOWS 9X REGISTRY
INTERNET TALK
by Frank Chao
Let me start off the 40th
article in this series by wishing you a wonderful holiday season. I hope that
you can enjoy some quality time with your loved ones AND your computer during
these festive weeks.
DONATE-A-PHONE
You can assist in the fight
against domestic violence by donating old cellular phones to the Wireless
Foundation. These phones are refurbished and then provided free of charge to
persons who are likely to become victims of domestic violence. For information
about this charitable operation, see
http://www.donateaphone.com
CYBERRIA INTERNET CAFE
Last week, Liz and I visited
the new "Cyberria Internet Cafe" at
15526 Crenshaw Blvd.
Gardena, California
They have "Windows
98" computers that can be rented for
$3 per hour for non-members and $2
per hour for members. A membership
costs five dollars. When you pay for a
membership, you get three free hours of computer rental time.
This new business is located
1 1/2 blocks north of El Camino College on the East side of the street. Their
phone number is (310) 767-1024 They have 50 1.5 Gigahertz Pentium IV computers
running Windows 98. Their computers have a T-1 (1.544 Megabits per second)
connection to the Internet. The Microsoft Office suite and many computer games
are loaded into all of their computers. All of their computers have speakers
and sometimes the kids playing games create a deafening and annoying din so you
might wish to bring earplugs. Or you could take a Valium before visiting their
business. (Just kidding !!)
FIREWALLS
If you have a DSL or cable
modem connection to the Internet, you should either use a software or hardware
firewall, in order to keep cyber terrorists, also known as hackers, out of your
computer(s).
At the very least, you
should use a software firewall such as ZoneAlarm or Norton Personal Firewall.
To try out Norton Personal
Firewall for free, go to
http://www.symantec.com/homecomputing/
To obtain the totally-free
version of ZoneAlarm, go to
http://www.zonealarm.com
I strongly recommend this
software product.
For stronger protection
against online troublemakers, you can use a hardware firewall: Linksys makes an excellent hardware firewall
that is called HPRO200 - HomeLink PhoneLine 10M Cable/DSL Router For
information, go to
http://www.linksys.com/products/product.asp?grid=28&prid=176
D-Link makes several models
of routers that function as hardware firewalls. See
http://www.dlink.com/products/DigitalHome/CableDsl/
D-LINK INTERNET GATEWAY
Last week, I helped a Torrance
homeowner install a D-Link Di-704 Cable/DSL Internet Gateway. This gateway acts
as a hardware firewall for the homeowner's Pacific Bell DSL Internet
connection. This gateway retails for about $100 at Fry's Electronics in
Manhattan Beach, California.
The WAN (Wide Area Network)
side of this device connects to the homeowner's DSL modem.
The LAN (Local Area Network)
side of this device connects to up to four computers with either the10Base-T
(10 megabits per second) or 100Base-T (100 Megabits per second) format.
Here are the steps that I took in order to install this gateway:
1) Made sure that the
computer was configured for Dynamic Host
Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
DHCP is the default setting for "Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)".
2) Attached the computer to the LAN side of the gateway device (by
means of a Category 5 (or higher) cable
with RJ45 plugs on both ends).
3) Attached the WAN side of the gateway device to the DSL modem
(by means of a Category 5 (or higher)
cable with RJ45 plugs on both ends).
4) Re-booted the computer (so that the gateway could assign an IP
address to the computer by means of
DHCP).
5) Started Microsoft "Internet Explorer" and used it to
go to
http://192.168.0.1
(192.168.0.1 is the default IP address of the gateway device.)
6) Entered the default system password of admin
into the Web-based login form.
7) Followed the instructions in the manual (that comes with the
gateway device) in order to configure the WAN side of the device. (In order to
perform this configuration, one has to have the technical specifications for
one's DSL or cable modem service.)
8) Attached additional
computers to the LAN ports of the device.
I then tested all of the homeowner's
Internet-connected computers by using them all at the same time to download
various files and Web pages. The bottom line is that I am thoroughly pleased
with this gateway. It is easy to install and it has performed flawlessly.
To find out more about this
product, see
http://www.dlink.com/products/broadband/di704/
CHANGES AT THE LOS ANGELES FREE-NET
The Los Angeles Free-Net
(LAFN) has changed most of their phone numbers. They now have phone numbers
throughout most of the state of California. If you are a LAFN member, you will
have to make corresponding changes to to your Dial Up Networking icons.
Details are available at
http://www.lafn.org/faq/01modem.html
The Los Angeles Free-Net's
ability to change is the reason that this wonderful organization is alive and
well. Most of the other Free-Nets have gone out of business.
SUN'S "StarOffice"
Sun's "StarOffice"
is a totally-free alternative to the Microsoft Office suite. It is "file format compatible"
with Microsoft's Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. While lacking some of the
features fancier features of the Microsoft Office products that it mimics, it a
great alternative for people who do not wish to pay for Microsoft Office
software. You can download a free copy of the "StarOffice 5" or
"StarOffice 6 beta" software at
http://www.sun.com/products/staroffice/
The price is right !!
INTERNET EXPLORER 6
I finally upgraded my
"Windows 98" home computer from "Internet Explorer 5.5" to
"Internet Explorer 6". I was
pleasantly surprised to discover that "Internet Explorer 6" downloads
Web pages (off of the Internet) faster than "Internet Explorer 5.5".
Other enhancements for "Internet Explorer 6" are delineated at
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/evaluation/overview/default.asp
WAYS TO CONTACT ME:
If you have any questions or problems, I can be
contacted by the following methods:
1. Leave a voice message for me at 310-768-3896.
2. Send me e-mail at: fchao@elcamino.cc.ca.us
3. Send "snail" U.S. Postal Service mail
to
Frank Chao
PO Box 6930
Torrance, CA
90504-0030.
Or sell your computer and take up woodworking
instead !!
* * * * * * * *
SOFTWARE LIBRARY NEWS
by BOB HUDAK
First off I want to congratulate our Board of
Directors who won the election at the last general meeting. They are going to
do a great job leading the club thru 2002. This is the last report of the
year. No new shareware in the library
this month.
I want to hear from members on how they feel about
the club buying a good film scanner. I brought this up to the board and they
are open to the idea if the members would be interested in using one. The price
of a Nikon Coolscan is about $900.00. Of course we have not done our shopping
for this item. We have not really made up our minds if this is the unit to buy.
It only scans 35mm slides or negatives at 2900 dpi, 36 bit and has a scratch
and dust reduction feature built in. Also has a color restoration feature. The
more things that are taken care of at scanning time, the less that needs to be
done with a software program. I believe this is a pretty good unit but not the
best. From this point the prices start going up fast. A Nikon scanner that scans at 4000 dpi cost about $1700.00.
OK, so here is the idea on how we would put it to
use to begin with. Have it at the tuesday
hardware SIG connected to the club's desktop computer. You bring your
slides down and scan them in and burn them, there, to a CD. We can set up appointments so that ten
members are not down there at the same time. It will depend on the demand as to
how long you get to work at the computer at one time. As you work, the next
member to use the equipment can be looking over your shoulder learning on how
to do it. These are some first ideas.
Now what I need from you first is to send an e-mail
to me, (rsh532@aol.com) telling me if you think this is a good idea and about
how many slides and negatives you have that you would like to scan. Without
this input we can not make a plan. The
pictures that you put on a CD will be in a digital format that will not
deteriorate and you can work with them as you please. If you have any firsthand
information on a film scanner, tells us about it. There is a lot to learn here
and should be a lot of fun. I see a SIG on this type of scanning in the future.
Speaking of SIG's, what new SIG would you be interested in? You need to speak
up, nothing will happen on it's own. Harold Caccamise has a SIG on every
Tuesday, during the hardware SIG, that deals with scanning and using software
to work with scanned pictures. He also will show you how to make digital albums
with the pictures or cards to send to family or friends. Harold does not
receive the credit he deserves.
How many of you know Bill Champlin? He has brought copies
of Computer Currents to the clubs general meetings for many years. Maybe more
then ten years. Be sure to say "Thanks Bill" the next time you see
him. The club is in a dead zone because we are not doing new things. We need
more active members. What do I mean? How many of you buy new hardware or
software and NEVER write a short article about it for the newsletter. Share
what you have learned about it. If you only write one article every two years
our newsletter would be full of members articles. As it is now we only have a
couple of members contributing. Is that right? Would you like to be a SIG
leader on some interesting program? Everyone that would come would have ideas
and tips. It is not as if you need to do everything. Take a program like
Quicken. How many would like to have 3 or 4 SIG meetings to just learn how to
get started? Who is using the program and would like to chair the SIG? Tell
your president, Gary Sexton, and he will set it up. Lets get things rolling in
2002!
* * * * * * * *
Officers Elect for 2002
President U. A. Garred Sexton Directors at Large Chairpersons
John
Hanson Program John Sellers
Vice Pres. Herman Krouse Virginia Pfiffiner Membership Keith Decker
Secretary Pamela Harrison Thomas Tucknott Librarian Bob Hudak
Treasurer Jim Corones Newsletter Editor Vernon Lym
·
·
Election of Officers
GSBUG is up and running for the year 2002. A slate
of officers has been elected to serve with few changes from this last year. The
presidency remains essentially the same with Gary Sexton as President, Herman
Krouse as VP, and Jim Corones as Treasurer. Tom Tucknott steps down as
Secretary but will continue as a Board member at large. Pamela Harrison, a long
time member, will serve as Secretary.
* * * * * * * *
IF YOU'RE GOING TO UPGRADE, GET READY NOW
by Steve Bass, Pasadena IBM Users Group
I'm going to upgrade. Yep, I'm breaking one of Bass
International's number one rules, but I think it's going to be worth it.
I'm can't give you all the details because it's
coming out in December's PC World Home Office column (hey, they pay the
mortgage). What I can do, however, is share parts of my upgrade experience,
things that I didn't have space to say in the PCW column. DOS Programs: Every legacy application I
tried worked. A 1988 version of FoxBASE+ 2.10, WordStar 7.0, Norton Commander,
and even a 1984 copy of Autodex 1.0, something few of you could possibly
remember.
More intriguing is Win XP's ability to run these
programs better—faster and with more stability—that Win 9x. Why? Who knows,
folks, magic maybe, but it does. I had trouble with only one program—an early
Windows version of Ventura Publisher. It turns out that even the current
version of VP won’t run under Windows XP. Advice: Read MS's “Reliability
Improvements” article that explains why XP's more stable than Win 9.x. It’s at
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/planning/reliability/prevention.asp
Then read “Windows XP Application Compatibility Technologies,”
a very comprehensive article that explains how to tweak apps so they'll run in
XP. Play special attention to the QfixApp, a tool that gets you to the database
of compatibility fixes included with XP.
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/planning/appcompat/default.asp
Drivers and Upgrades: My Turtle Beach Santa Cruz
sound card wouldn't work with XP. Advice: As with any Operating System upgrade
(excluding Amiga and GEOS), dig out the drivers and upgrades before you start
the upgrade. If you can, burn them onto a CD-ROM.
Networking: Lots, lots easier than in Win 9.x with
one proviso...you'll have to dump NETBEUI on the other PCs in the network. Win
XP relies totally on TCP/IP. Advice: Hone up on your networking skills or hire
a consultant to up to speed. Read MS's “Home and Small Office Network
Topologies,” article at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/techinfo/planning/networking/topologies.asp
Internet Explorer: IE 6.0 doesn't support
Netscape-style plug-ins. The only one I missed—and was annoyed with MS's
removal of--Apple's QuickTime player. That meant I couldn't play MOV videos.
MS's claims it's for security. I say it's hogwash and a way to lock out Apple.
By the time you read this, MS and Apple have probably tweaked the QuickTime
Player to support ActiveX controls for IE 6. Advice: If the QuickTime player
doesn't work, find the patch on MS's site.
Getting a Jump: One good place to see if your PC is
ready for XP is with PC Pitstop. They have a neat-o XP test site that examines
your PC's operating system, CPU speed, BIOS version, amount of memory,
available hard drive space, and video capabilities. The results tell you how
your machine matches up to XP's minimum and recommended requirements. The tool
is available for you to try at
http://www.pcpitstop.com/xpready
MS also has many good articles if you're a tinkerer:
** The “Consumer Desktop PC Design Checklist for
Windows XP” provides
technical details for building a new PC for XP.
http://www.microsoft.com/hwdev/pcdesign
** You might want to continue using W2K while
experimenting with XP.
Read “Multibooting with Windows 2000 and Windows XP”
http://www.microsoft.com/windows2000/techinfo/administration/management/mltiboot.asp
I'll have more to say about my XP upgrade experience
next month. Steve Bass is a
Contributing Editor with PC World and runs the Pasadena IBM Users Group. Write
to him at steve_bass@pcworld.com. Check PCW's
current edition at
http://www.pcworld.com/resource/toc/index.asp and sign up for the Steve Bass
online newsletter at www.pcworld.com/bass_letter.
* * * * * * * *
- 24 REASONS WHY WINDOWS IS NOT A VIRUS
(Reprinted from the ‘Colombia Baltimore User Group’ newsletter)
1. Viruses are free.
2. Viruses can be gotten
from any good BBS.
3. If detected soon enough,
most viruses can be removed from your computer without a huge loss of data and
time.
4. Viruses don't take up
HUGE wads of disk space.
5. Viruses don't need four
meg of ram to run.
6. Viruses do something.
7. Viruses come in flavors, not
just one-size-fits all.
8. Viruses use the
"cutting edge" programming skills to make themselves less noticeable.
(until they are ready to be noticed)
9. Viruses don't have major
bugs. (if they do, then they don't work, so they're not virus')
10. Viruses don't have three
different sets of documentation that is all mixed up and wrong.
11. Viruses don't leak things
to the press about the upcoming Jerusalem 95, to keep people from switching to
Michelangelo/2 Warp or better yet, XJerusalem.
12. Viruses don't put out
stupid two page adds in magazines centered around the March 6 "activate
button".
13. Viruses aren’t on every
computer.
14. Viruses don't have stupid
wizards.
15. Who cares if a virus is 16
bit, even though it is advertised as 32?
16. Viruses don't say that
they are user "friendly", when they aren't.
17. Viruses can run on PCDOS
without warnings.
18. Viruses when installing
themselves don't try to send private info about your computer over the phone
lines to microsoft.net. (Editors note-Now they do!)
19. Viruses install
themselves.
20. Viruses don't try to push
out all competition. They just try to do their job. Virus maker's don't try to
buy Intuit (makers of Quicken (wouldn't that be fun, America's biggest
financial software company owned by a virus maker))
22. Viruses don't invade and
take over PC Magazine, filling it with 100% junk on Windows.
23. Viruses don't try to copy
what Apple does.
24. There are programs you can
buy, or get free to remove viruses.
* * * * * * * *
What You Should Know About
Windows 9x Registry
by Vic Laurie, PPCUG
Much has been
written about the Registry from the point of view of the power user, but the
subject often seems so obscure and arcane that the typical user takes the path
of least resistance and remains ignorant of even the most basic facts of the
Registry. This is unfortunate since there are some things that are easily
learned and can be very helpful in keeping a system in good order. I will
address the Registry sticking to the aspects that are of practical use to an
average user.
What do you
need to know about the Registry?
Editing the Registry is not typically an activity of
most users. However, it is important. to know how to back up the Registry and
how to restore a damaged or corrupted Registry should the need arise. A little
learning here can save big headaches. The backup/restore process is neither
difficult nor lengthy (especially for Win98) and is easily mastered by the
greenest of neophytes. Just a little knowledge will make the Registry seem less
like some cabalistic ritual of Druid priests and remove some of the fear and
loathing from the subject.
What is the
Registry?
The registry is a central database containing all the
varied information needed for the computer to run both the hardware and the
software. Information is divided between two hidden, system, readonly files,
System.dat and User.dat, which are located in the \Windows\ folder. Division
into two files allows flexibility in multi-user environments. User specific
information (logon names, desktop settings, Start menu settings, etc.) is kept
in User.dat. If there is more than one user, each can have his/her version of
User.dat. Hardware specific and computer-specific settings are contained in
System.dat. It contains hardware configurations, Plug and Play settings,
application settings, etc. It is much the larger of the two files and on a
Win98 system with Internet Explorer 4/5 may be 5MB or larger. On a basic Win95
system without Internet Explorer, it may be less than l MB.
Backing up and
Restoring the Registry in Windows 95
Windows 95 makes a feeble attempt at automatic
backup by creating system.daO and user.daO files after every successful boot-up
(note that the extension is daZero). These are copies of the last successful
version of system.dat and user.dat. This stopgap measure is better than nothing
and has saved my bacon once or twice, but it is too easy for errors to creep
in. Windows 95 also came (if you knew where to look) with two accessories for
Registry backup, CFGBACK and ERU, but both suffer from problems and I do not
recommend them. There are also innumerable shareware programs that offer to do
back ups. Don't waste money on them. The canonical way to back up that is in
all the literature involves booting to Command Prompt Only and doing DOS. For
completeness, I will include this method here, but unless you are on a network
it isn't necessary to go to DOS, a procedure which may be more traumatic for many
people than it is worth (the average user seems to suffer from DOSophobia.) Old
DOS hands can write a batch file that makes it all very easy, of course, but I
will skip that.
Here is the standard DOS backup procedure: Boot to
"Command prompt only" (not a DOS box), and enter the following. (I am
using upper case but that is not necessary):
CD WINDOWS
ATTRIB -H -S -R SYSTEM.DAT
ATTRIB -H -S -R USER.DAT
COPY SYSTEM.DAT SYSTEM.BAK
COPY USER.DAT USER.BAK
ATTRIB +H +S +R SYSTEM.DAT
ATTRIB +H +S + R USER.DAT
This places the backups in the Windows folder along
with the original registry files. If you wish to back up to another folder or a
ZIP disk or other external medium as well (wise) insert the appropriate
destination.
Why go to DOS? To make absolutely sure that nothing
will try to access the Registry while it is being copied. However, if you are
careful to have nothing else running (including things like screensavers) you
can simply copy the two Registry files from within Windows Explorer (with Show
All Files enabled) the same way you would copy any file. I have used this
procedure many times. Nothing could be simpler. (These copies will have the
hidden system attributes; which must be removed if the files are ever needed in
a DOS procedure.)
How often is backup needed? In principle those who
do not make changes in settings and do not install new software need only one
healthy backup with the daO files serving as a second tier. In practice, making
backups a week apart and keeping them in different places isn't a bad idea.
If you make frequent changes to your system,
frequent backups are called for. Always back up before trying a new component
or software.
Registry backups are a form of insurance. Just as
you purchase fire insurance for your home without expecting it to burn down,
make backups even if you never expect to trash the Registry. Many users go
through life with nary a whimper of trouble. (One way to help keep out of
trouble is regular housecleaning, which is discussed below.)
However, suppose the dreaded day arrives, you get
one of the infamous corrupt Registry error messages and your machine refuses to
open in Windows. What then? For purposes of illustration, I will assume the
backups are also in the Windows folder. For other paths make appropriate
substitutions. Assuming you are getting a C:\ prompt (if not, there is a whole
other procedure involving a boot disk which I won't discuss here) enter the
following DOS commands to replace the corrupt Registry files with backup
copies:
CD WINDOWS
ATTRIB -H -S -R SYSTEM.DAT
ATTRIB -H -S -R USER.DAT
DEL SYSTEM.DAT
DEL USER.DAT
COPY SYSTEM.BAK SYSTEM.DAT
COPY USER.BAK USER.DAT
ATTRIB +H +S +R SYSTEM.DAT
ATTRIB +H +S +R USER.DAT
Restoring the attributes in the last two steps is to
ensure proper functioning of the system. (Incidentally, bad RAM or hard disk
problems can also lead to corrupt Registry error messages. Repeated problems
with Registry errors may actually be a hardware problem).
Backing up and
Restoring the Registry in Windows 98
Win98 is a piece of cake compared to Win95 since one
of the best improvements Microsoft made in Win98 was to add new system
utilities. One of these is called the Registry Checker, which backs up the
Registry automatically and restores it if needed. The da0 files are superfluous
and are no longer created. Below are excerpts from the Microsoft Windows 98
Resource Kit explaining the whole process.
"Registry Checker is a system maintenance
program that finds and fixes registry problems. Each time you start your
computer, Registry Checker automatically scans the registry for inconsistent
structures, and if no problem is found, Registry Checker makes one backup for
each day. Registry Checker consists of two executable files, Scanreg.exe and
Scanregw.exe, which are automatically copied to the \Windows\Command and
\Windows folders, respectively, when Windows 98 is installed. If a problem is
found in the registry, Registry Checker can restore the registry from a good
backup copy. Registry Checker maintains five compressed backups of the registry
that have successfully started the computer. Registry Checker attempts to fix
the registry if a backup cannot be found. Registry Checker also removes unused
space in the registry, reducing the size of the registry file, and therefore
improving performance. Once per day at startup a new CAB file containing a
backup of the registry is created by Registry Checker. The file name is
Rbxxx.cab (where xxx is a unique number assigned when the file is created). The
new file replaces the oldest file. These files are located in the
\Windows\Sysbckup folder (a hidden folder). Registry Checker always maintains
at least the last configuration from which the system was successfully
booted."
Also from the Microsoft Resource Kit: "To manually
backup the registry using Registry Checker
On the Start
menu, click Run.
Type scanregw.exe, and click OK.
First, Registry Checker verifies that the registry
is structurally sound. If the registry is sound, Registry Checker offers to
back it up. Registry Checker will back up the registry and store the compressed
CAB file in \Windows\Sysbckup (a hidden directory)."
And finally: "To restore the backup
manually"
On the Start
menu, click Shut Down.
Select Restart
in MS-DOS mode and click OK.
At the MS-DOS command prompt, type scanreg/ restore.
Select the latest known good backup.
Backed up, compressed registry files are listed with
the name Rbxxx.cab. The files show the time and date of backup."
In addition to whatever backups are made by scanreg,
you can make copies of System.dat and User.dat through Window Explorer as was
explained in the Win95 section above. These will not be in compressed CAB
format and can be used directly.
Cleaning the
Registry
The Registry is in dynamic flux; programs continually
access it to obtain and add information. Often obsolete entries are left behind
and over time the Registry will grow in size as it accretes outdated stuff. If
programs are installed and removed, residues are left behind because of the
inefficiencies of uninstaller programs. If the Registry collects too much
rubbish, it may slow the system or become less stable. Various programs exist
to clean the Registry (always back up before using any of them). A free one
(Regclean) is available at ftp://ftp. Microsoft.com/Softlib/
MSLFILES/REGCLEAN.EXE. There were some reported
problems with older versions, but I have used this version, 4.1a Build 7364.1,
without trouble. This utility is only a partial cleaner and does not get many
things, but I use it regularly. It creates an Undo file so that your previous
Registry can be restored if you choose. Another free program I have used with
good success is called Easy Cleaner. It can be found on a number of sites
including the author's homepage (http.//www.saunalaXti.f/toniXele/). It seems
to do a good job, is fast, and is recommended by many Websites, but I point out
(for what it's worth) that the author is a 15 year old Finnish kid. Back up
before you use 'it.
If you want to pay for something, there are a host of
utilities with Registry cleaners. None 1 have used clean much better than the
kid's freebie but they have more bells and whistles.
They backup what they clean and are quite useful
when uninstalling software. They remove the stuff the program uninstallers
miss. I have used Clean Sweep, but you should keep a close eye on what it wants
to clean out. It always shows you first what it might do, but sometimes wants
to throw out stuff it shouldn't. Older versions have trouble with Win98. Now
that Symantec has bought it and added it to Norton Utilities, I am not sure
what the latest version is like. The really diligent and fearless can clean by
hand using a registry editor.
Editing the
Registry
Average users will probably do this as often as they
bungee jump, but some of us are inveterate tinkerers and like to get to the
core of things. Windows 9X comes with a utility called Regedit. It is not
listed in the Programs menu but is in the Windows folder as Regedit.exe. There are also help files.
The easiest way to use it is to open the Run
menu and enter "regedit" (without quotes). One serious drawback is
its lack of an "undo" function. Editing cannot be reversed. More
flexible editors are available in programs like Norton Utilities.
For the more circumspectly there are safer ways of
editing the registry. The TweakUI utility
is an interface for easily making Registry changes which I have recommended
many times. Go to www.winmag.
com/win95/software.htm for the Win95 version or www.winmag.com/win98/software.htm for Win98. Another free utility
which is quite useful is X-Setup 5.0.
It is available at http://www.xteq.com/main.html.
Disclaimer: Everything mentioned here
works on my and other computers but Windows systems can be highly idiosyncratic
so your results may differ.
[Reprinted from Chicago
Computer Society newsletter “Hard-Copy”, June 2000. Ed.]
* * * * * * * *